Love Your Heartby Dyanna Prater '13
With spring right around the corner, it would be a perfect time to start creating that Healthy "U" again, and Hood College knows a perfect place to start. Getting into shape is as easy as 10,000 steps a day.

Hood College wants your heart to be in the best shape possible, which is why we have created the Love your heart Fitbit Challenge. The Love your Heart Fitbit Challenge is where you promise yourself that each day from February 14 to May 14 you will take at least 10,000 steps a day.

Why 10,000 steps you might ask? It is said that, on average, men take 7,192 steps a day while women only take 5,210. The American Heart Association believes that 10,000 steps a day is a great way to improve health and decrease the risk of heart disease, which is the number one killer of men and women in America. On average, the human heart beats 100,000 times a day and sends 2,000 gallons of blood flowing throughout 60,000 miles of blood vessels. This is a very demanding job for an organ that is only roughly the size of your fist. Hood College believes that you should Love Your Heart a little more and step up to the challenge.

Hood College encourages everyone to Love Your Heart a little more, but sometimes people need a push. This challenge is not something that you have to do alone. Invite a friend to take 10,000 steps a day with you and explain to them all the great things that they are doing for their health.

After seeing the benefits of 10,000 steps a day, Hood College invites you to take the challenge and Love Your Heart.

Love Your Heart - The Fitbit Challenge begins Thursday, February 14
Don't miss out on this opportunity to work out daily. Faculty and Staff can receive a free Fitbit Zip wireless pedometer today. Fitbit will track steps taken, miles traveled, and calories burned with no effort or technical expertise on your part. Your goal - 10,000 steps per day. For your free Fitbit, you must register with the Human Resources Office. If you registered, you should have received an email invitation to join the Hood College Challenge Group. Each month during the challenge (March 15, April 15, and May 15) you will be entered into a drawing for prizes as long as you have taken 10,000 steps or more each day of the month and have joined the Hood College Challenge Group. The challenge begins on February 14 and ends May 14.

Badminton Tournament
Healthy
“U” will be hosting a Badminton Tournament on Tuesday, March 19 at Gambrill Gymnasium from 5:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Teams will be formed at 5:00 p.m. Games will be in a round
robin player format. This means you come to play without
worrying about having a team partner. Names will be drawn from
a hat and a new two-man player team is formed for each match.
Equipment provided. Prizes will be awarded.

Yoga at Hood - Mondays and
Thursdays
Free yoga classes, made possible by Sol
Yoga, are held Mondays5:00-6:00p.m. and
Thursdays12:45-1:45 p.m. in the Dance Studio
in Gambrill Gymnasium. Classes begin January 24 and continue through May 2. No classes will be held on March 11 or March 14.

Hood Walking Group
- Still Walking on TuesdaysLeaving at
noon from the plaza
between Alumnae Hall and Hodson, the
group walks for approximately 30 minutes rain or shine. This is a great way to add steps to your daily progress with Fitbit!

Stay Tuned
Stay tuned for more detailed information to follow on upcoming special events such as National Walk@Lunch Day on April 25, 2013, Mental Health First Aid, and a Hood 5K.

Hope to see you at any or all of these
events!

Office
of Human Resources401 Rosemont Ave.Frederick,
Maryland 21701

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